EDITOR’S NOTE: It’s that time of year again: Undergraduate Student Government elections. For the next week, the Daily Kent Stater will be running candidate profiles for the nine director and 16 senator positions. The USG election is Tuesday, March 9. Students can vote then by logging onto their FlashLine accounts.

Director of Community Affairs

Brianna Lawhorn

Brianna Lawhorn served this academic year as Undergraduate Student Government’s director of academic affairs, which she describes as “less hands-on” than what she wants to do. Seeing the work of the current director of community affairs, Lawhorn said she believes she has what it takes to do the job.

Lawhorn, a junior middle-childhood education major, is busy with her student teaching, current role in USG and as president of Pan-Hellenic Council, yet she still finds the time to campaign. She attributes this to her strong time-management skills.

Though Lawhorn is counting on the Greek vote, she hopes her leadership experience and passion will sway voters her way.

“There’s been a lot of issues,” Lawhorn said, mentioning last year’s College Fest incident and recent safety problems on campus. She wants to address these issues.

“I love getting involved with things,” she said. She hopes to bring some of her sorority’s events to student government, including a community service awareness week and another event focused on safety awareness.

Jennifer Mani

When Jennifer Mani first came to Kent State, she served as the corresponding secretary for Leebrick and Korb Hall Council. After three years in that position, she moved on to serve as the council’s president for two more years.

Mani, a senior psychology major, used to work with the current director of community affairs. She said he always seemed to enjoy it, so she would like to take the reins.

“I want to take (student) opinions and bring (them) to the city of Kent,” Mani said, “because I want to continue on with the relationship we have (with the city) so far and make it bigger and better.” She hopes to do surveys to get opinions that reflect the whole student body.

Because of her time on the Leebrick and Korb Hall Council, Mani has had experience with Kent Interhall Council. She has worked as a tutor and currently works with a group home, which she says makes her a “really good role model.”

“I want the students who live on-campus and off-campus to feel comfortable with the city they’re living in,” she said.

Director of Programming

Jeffrey Hammond

Jeffrey Hammond’s brother served as the programming board chair for two years, and he said he has been involved with Undergraduate Student Government programming as early as high school. Hammond, a sophomore health and physical education major, is now running for USG’s director of programming in the hope of serving the Kent State student body.

Hammond is the vice president for loss prevention in Delta Upsilon, served on the food committee his freshman year and is currently the house chair for USG’s programming board.

“With the concerts,” Hammond said, “I want the students to actually be involved with what we’re trying to bring. I want to get input from them.”

He said he wants to bring bigger-named bands to Kent State by instituting polls and surveys to receive feedback. Hammond also wants to check into speakers and comedians that students might want.

Hammond doesn’t have any specific people in mind because he wants to make sure all the programming at Kent State is what the students want, rather than the programming board.

“It’s not just USG’s campus,” Hammond said, “but it’s the student body’s campus.”

Alex Tucker

When Alex Tucker was a senior in high school, he interned at the Grog Shop, a live music venue in Cleveland. He says he learned the skills there that will help him if he is elected as the Undergraduate Student Government’s director of programming.

Tucker, a junior communications studies major, spent a year on the All-Campus Programming Boardat Kent State, working as the Rathskeller programmer. He said he planned 30 shows, mostly concerts, while holding that position. He now works as the promotions chair for USG’s programming board.

“I just want people to know I have enough experience, and I want to make sure that we can get … a lot of good programs to happen,” Tucker said.

He wants to book at least one more concert and comedian at Kent State, “the bigger, the better.” However, he knows budget constraints may hinder this goal. Tucker also said he would like to see better guest lecturers come, but he doesn’t have any specific lecturers in mind yet.

Tucker also said he hopes to add a Rathskeller liaison to the programming board to build a better relationship between USG and the Rathskeller.

He said he is aware that he can’t please every student with every event.

“As a whole, at the end of the year, I want to make sure all the students were happy about something,” Tucker said.

College of the Arts

Name: Emily Orians

Year: Junior

Major: Fashion Merchandising

“If elected for this position, one of my main goals is to facilitate open forums between students and select members of the administration.

Many students may currently feel that their school does not care about their needs, when in truth, the school simply is not aware that such deficits exist. Open communication is the best path towards a fully successful

academic experience.”